Session: How to handle Puzzles?

Session Lead by Linda Rising Situation: retrospective without ANY Do Differentlys …. Lots of puzzles…they did not need to make any changes – not empowered to make any changes.

Stephen Covey (Diana) Area of control Area of influence Area of no control

We have more power then we realize. It may not be obvious. It may not be direct change…not can change

(Laurent) The team has the choice to manage their interactions.

Puzzles

– things we know but don’t want to talk about
- things we have no control over
- things we are afraid of, 

“Pain is evitable…suffering is optional” author unknown.

Trust the Magic

Changes happen when the questions are asked – to some degree everyone is changed when the question gets on the table

story – group of students at University of Michigan in Ann Arbor….weekly seminar then afterwards go to coffee and continue discussion. The waitress kept track of the prices by person until the payment was completed. But afterwards she completely forgets. A student was facinated by this immediate forgetness after the payment. The effect is can be used with retrospectives (and other sessions) to see what rises to the top…what was important yesterday is no longer important the next day. Very effective for multiple day sessions.

Rachel – hear the same story (coffeehouse, waitress in Vienna) but the woman’s name was Irma, she was a psychologist Questions to ask …how we ask it can impact the answers..

What went well? What did you learn? What could you do differently next time? What still puzzles us? Things for further discussion

1. If you would be given the chance to do this project over again…

What was great? And want to do again..exactly the same way.

1. Suppose you have the power…what would you do differently? It would be nice if….
2. Things I wonder about? Things that puzzle me? What we still don’t understand?
3. What were moments of madness during this project? (Andy Schneider – 2002 – 2003 article…what were they thinking? What was I thinking? Then, what were the constraints at the time? What were you dealing with then that this was the best option?

Ericka moment? What were the “Wow” moments? When you figured something out?

1. What were the turning points?
2. What were the miracles?
3. When was luck really with us? How do we make it happen again?

This best thing you could be is an intelligent ingornancemous.

1. When / where were you surprised?
2. When/where were you frustrated?
3. What decisions are you going to make today, do after today?

PMI – lateral thinking device…different verbiage to gain interactions and idea flow “Pluses” “Minuses” “Interesting Points”

Retrospective “Coaches” - Peer reviews - Co-collaboration with other facilitators

Stage 1 - doing things by the book Stage 2 - Small scale changes, questioning why things work, trading notes Stage 3 - Inventing something new

Making retrospectives part of the culture Sit in on other retrospectives (Observers) from other teams Post retro review meetings Co-facilitator's review the script of the workshop – things that changed on the fly, ask why things changed.

 Diana / Esther

Student – really want to learn Shopper – as long as I get 1 or 2 nice things Vacationer – I’m here only to get away Prisoner – I’m here only because I have to be They each have personal responsibility to choose how they will approach this session

Satisfaction histograms (Esther) Peer Feedback – what can I take with me from this workshop (how useful was this for me), what is still open for me? (if something appears more then once…it is something for them to dig into) (Frowin) Diana – always do some kind of debrief! Reflection leads to action